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Biggest Cities in the Roman Empire with a Map

With the help of a map, can you name the biggest cities with an estimated population of 10,000 and over in the Roman Empire at its peak in 117 AD?
Click on the map to zoom in.
Both historical and modern-day names accepted.
Sources used for population estimates listed in this Pastebin.
Striped territories indicate Parthia under Roman client king Parthamaspates's rule.
Quiz by
Dekkie
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Last updated: December 13, 2025
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First submittedJanuary 17, 2022
Times taken8,306
Average score18.8%
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ACHAEA
33,000
Athenae
(Athens)
32,000
Corinthus
(Archaia Korinthos)
22,000
Messene
(Mavromati)
19,000
Patrae
(Patras)
14,000
Sicyon
(Sikyona)
14,000
Tegea
11,000
Lacedaemon
(Sparta)
10,000
Chalcis
10,000
Elis
10,000
Mantinea
(Mantineia)
10,000
Megara
10,000
Phlius
(Koutsi)
 
 
AEGYPTUS
400,000
Alexandria
50,000
Arsinoe
(Faiyum)
36,000
Hermopolis Magna
(El-Ashmunein)
32,000
Heracleapolis Magna
(Ihnasya Al Madinah)
28,000
Pelusium
26,000
Antinoöpolis
(El Sheikh Abada)
26,000
Memphis
(Mit Rahina)
26,000
Oxyrhynchus
(Al-Bahnasa)
25,000
Athribis
(Benha)
25,000
Thmuis
(Tell al-Timai)
22,000
Leontopolis
(Kafr Al Meqdam)
21,000
Ptolemais Hermiou
(El Mansha)
19,000
Nicius
(Zawyat Razin)
17,000
Tanis
(San al-Hagar)
15,000
Coptos
(Qift)
14,000
Heliopolis
(Ayn Shams, Cairo)
14,000
Magdolos
(Tell el-Heir)
13,000
Canopus
(Abu Qir)
13,000
Lycopolis
(Asyut)
13,000
Panopolis
(Akhmim)
12,000
Antaiopolis
(Qaw el-Kebir)
12,000
Bubastis
(Zagazig)
12,000
Letopolis
(Ausim)
11,000
Diospolis Parva
(Hu)
11,000
Pharbaethus
(Hurbayt)
10,000
Cynopolis
(El-Qeis)
10,000
Hibis
(Kharga)
10,000
Paraetonium
(Marsa Matrouh)
10,000
Tentyris
(Dendera)
10,000
Thebae
(Luxor)
 
 
AFRICA PROCONSULARIS
100,000
Carthago
(Qartaj, Tunis)
75,000
Leptis Magna
(Al-Khoms)
43,000
Thelepte
(Thélepte)
41,000
Thysdrus
(El Djem)
35,000
Hadrumetum
(Sousse)
14,000
Numluli
(Henchir-Mâtria)
14,000
Thaenae
(Thyna)
14,000
Thignica
(Aïn Younes)
12,000
Ammaedara
(Haïdra)
12,000
Uthina
10,000
Hippo Regius
(Annaba)
10,000
Utica
(Zana)
 
 
ARABIA PETRAEA
15,000
Gerasa
(Jerash)
14,000
Bostra
(Bosra)
12,000
Petra
 
 
ASIA
65,000
Pergamum
(Bergama)
47,000
Smyrna
(İzmir)
40,000
Rhodus
(Rhodes)
36,000
Cyzicus
(Erdek)
35,000
Laodicea ad Lycum
(Eskihisar)
31,000
Ephesus
(Selçuk)
30,000
Mytilene
(Mytilini)
30,000
Tralles
(Aydın)
29,000
Philadelphia
(Alaşehir)
26,000
Alexandria Troas
(Dalyan)
26,000
Sardis
(Sart)
23,000
Cos
(Kos)
23,000
Parium
(Kemer)
20,000
Samos
(Phytagoreio)
19,000
Halicarnassus
(Bodrum)
17,000
Miletus
(Balat)
17,000
Stratonicaea
(Eskihisar)
16,000
Magnesia ad Maeandrum
(Tekin)
15,000
Alabanda
(Doğanyurt)
14,000
Hierapolis
(Pamukkale)
14,000
Mylasa
(Milas)
13,000
Clazomenae
(Urla)
12,000
Erythrae
(Ildır)
12,000
Ilium
(Tevfikiye)
12,000
Teos
(Sığacık)
12,000
Tripolis ad Maeandrum
(Yenicekent)
11,000
Aphrodisias
(Geyre)
10,000
Myrina
(Aliağa)
 
 
ASSYRIA
26,000
Arbela
(Erbil)
 
 
BITHYNIA ET PONTUS
44,000
Nicomedia
(İzmit)
30,000
Nicaea
(İznik)
15,000
Sinope
(Sinop)
14,000
Heraclea Pontica
(Karadeniz Ereğli)
10,000
Amastris
(Amasra)
 
 
REGNUM BOSPORI
15,000
Panticapaeum
(Kerch)
10,000
Phanagoria
(Sennoy)
 
 
BRITANNIA
36,000
Londinium
(London)
12,000
Corinium Dobunnorum
(Cirencester)
12,000
Verulamium
(St Albans)
CAPPADOCIA
25,000
Caesarea Mazaca
(Kayseri)
 
 
CHARACENE
50,000
Charax Spasinu
(Naysan, Al-Bubsairy)
 
 
CILICIA
26,000
Magarsus
(Karataş)
25,000
Anazarbus
(Dilekkaya)
15,000
Seleucia ad Calycadnum
(Silifke)
13,000
Tarsus
 
 
CRETA ET CYRENAE
50,000
Ptolemais
(Tolmeita)
32,000
Berenice
(Benghazi)
24,000
Gortyna
(Gortyn)
22,000
Hierapytna
(Ierapetra)
21,000
Cyrene
(Shahhat)
15,000
Cydonia
(Chania)
12,000
Cisamus
(Kissamos)
 
 
CYPRUS
19,000
Paphus
(Paphos)
15,000
Salamis
 
 
ELYMAIS
20,000
Susa
(Shush)
 
 
EPIRUS
33,000
Nicopolis
(Preveza)
 
 
GALATIA
28,000
Iconium
(Konya)
22,000
Ancyra
(Ankara)
18,000
Tavium
(Büyüknefes)
10,000
Amorium
(Hisar)
 
 
GALLIA AQUITANIA
26,000
Burdigala
(Bordeaux)
19,000
Avaricum
(Bourges)
17,000
Augustonemetum
(Clermont-Ferrand)
17,000
Augustoritum
(Limoges)
14,000
Limonum
(Poitiers)
14,000
Mediolanum Santonum
(Saintes)
12,000
Aginnum
(Agen)
10,000
Divona
(Cahors)
10,000
Vesunna
(Périgueux)
 
 
GALLIA BELGICA
50,000
Durocortorum
(Reims)
36,000
Samarobriva Ambianorum
(Amiens)
28,000
Augusta Treverorum
(Trier)
17,000
Augusta Suessionum
(Soissons)
12,000
Divodurum Mediomatricorum
(Metz)
10,000
Caesaromagus
(Beauvais)
 
 
GALLIA LUGDUNENSIS
60,000
Lugdunum
(Lyon)
40,000
Augustodunum
(Autun)
15,000
Autricum
(Chartres)
14,000
Rotomagus
(Rouen)
12,000
Agedincum
(Sens)
10,000
Forum Segusiavorum
(Feurs)
10,000
Iuliomagus
(Angers)
10,000
Lutetia Parisiorum
(Paris)
10,000
Vorgium
(Carhaix-Plouguer)
 
 
GALLIA NARBONENSIS
29,000
Narbo Martius
(Narbonne)
28,000
Nemausus
(Nîmes)
27,000
Vienna
(Vienne)
 
 
GERMANIA INFERIOR
24,000
Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium
(Cologne)
19,000
Atuatuca Tungrorum
(Tongeren)
13,000
Colonia Ulpia Traiana
(Xanten)
 
 
GERMANIA SUPERIOR
19,000
Mogontiacum
(Mainz)
18,000
Alesia
(Alise-Sainte-Reine)
14,000
Vesontio
(Besançon)
12,000
Andematunum
(Langres)
 
 
HISPANIA BAETICA
17,000
Corduba
(Córdoba)
14,000
Gadis
(Cádiz)
13,000
Astigi
(Écija)
 
 
HISPANIA TARRACONENSIS
17,000
Tarraco
(Tarragona)
14,000
Carthago Nova
(Cartagena)
12,000
Clunia
(Peñalba de Castro)
12,000
Lacobriga
(Carrión de los Condes)
 
 
ITALIA
1,500,000
Roma
(Rome)
44,000
Capua
(Santa Maria Capua Vetere)
35,000
Ostia Antica
(Ostia)
28,000
Altinum
(Altino)
28,000
Patavium
(Padua)
23,000
Nuceria Alfaterna
(Nocera Superiore)
22,000
Neapolis
(Naples)
22,000
Puteoli
(Pozzuoli)
20,000
Paestum
(Paesto)
17,000
Mediolanum
(Milan)
17,000
Taenum Sidicinum
(Teano)
15,000
Picentia
(Pontecagnano Faiano)
14,000
Aquileia
14,000
Cumae
(Cuma)
13,000
Iguvium
(Gubbio)
13,000
Luceria
(Lucera)
12,000
Aquinum
(Aquino)
12,000
Sora
11,000
Amiternum
(San Vittorino)
11,000
Eporedia
(Ivrea)
11,000
Rhegium
(Reggio Calabria)
10,000
Antium
(Anzio)
10,000
Brundisium
(Brindisi)
10,000
Cales
(Calvi Risorta)
10,000
Salapia
IUDAEA
19,000
Neapolis
(Nablus)
14,000
Scythopolis
(Beit She'an)
13,000
Abila Decapoleos
(Tell Abil)
11,000
Caesarea Maritima
(Caesarea)
10,000
Diospolis
(Lod)
10,000
Sebaste
(Sebastia)
 
 
LUSITANIA
14,000
Emerita Augusta
(Mérida)
 
 
LYCIA ET PAMPHYLIA
19,000
Myra
(Demre)
11,000
Telmessus
(Fethiye)
10,000
Attalea
(Antalya)
10,000
Perga
(Aksu)
 
 
MACEDONIA
22,000
Thessalonica
(Thessaloniki)
18,000
Dyrrhachium
(Durrës)
11,000
Beroea
(Veria)
10,000
Larissa
 
 
MAURETANIA CAESARIENSIS
37,000
Caesarea Mauretaniae
(Cherchell)
11,000
Cartennae
(Ténès)
 
 
MAURETANIA TINGITANA
10,000
Lixus
(Larache)
 
 
MESOPOTAMIA
250,000
Seleucia ad Tigrim
90,000
Hatra
55,000
Babylon
(Hillah)
50,000
Ctesiphon
(Al-Mada'in)
38,000
Amida
(Diyarbakır)
30,000
Edessa
(Şanlıurfa)
25,000
Orchoë
(Uruk)
22,000
Nisibis
(Nusaybin)
19,000
Resaina
(Ras al-Ayn)
14,000
Nicephorium
(Raqqa)
 
 
MOESIA INFERIOR
12,000
Marcianopolis
(Devnya)
 
 
MOESIA SUPERIOR
13,000
Viminacium
(Kostolac)
10,000
Margum
(Dubravica)
 
 
NORICUM
15,000
Ovilava
(Wels)
 
 
NUMIDIA
(de facto province)
28,000
Sicca Veneria
(El Kef)
23,000
Rusicade
(Skikda)
11,000
Theveste
(Tébessa)
 
 
PANNONIA INFERIOR
14,000
Sirmium
(Sremska Mitrovica)
 
 
PANNONIA SUPERIOR
22,000
Carnuntum
(Petronell-Carnuntum)
 
 
RHAETIA
10,000
Augusta Vindelicorum
(Augsburg)
 
 
SARDINIA ET CORSICA
18,000
Caralis
(Cagliari)
 
 
SICILIA
50,000
Syracusae
(Syracuse)
28,000
Catana
(Catania)
19,000
Agrigentum
(Agrigento)
14,000
Lilybaeum
(Marsala)
10,000
Messana
(Messina)
 
 
SYRIA
175,000
Antiochia ad Orontem
(Antakya)
65,000
Apamea
(Qalaat al-Madiq)
40,000
Laodicea ad Mare
(Latakia)
30,000
Zeugma
(Belkıs)
28,000
Seleucia Pieria
(Çevlik)
26,000
Damascus
26,000
Emesa
(Homs)
25,000
Palmyra
(Tadmur)
19,000
Caesarea Philippi
(Banyas)
19,000
Ptolemais Phoenicae
(Acre)
14,000
Samosata
(Samsat)
13,000
Chalcis ad Belum
(Al-Eiss)
12,000
Doliche
(Dülük)
12,000
Heliopolis
(Baalbek)
12,000
Laodicea ad Libanum
(Kadesh)
11,000
Cyrrhus
11,000
Sidon
10,000
Raphanea
(Nisaf)
10,000
Tyrus
(Tyre)
 
 
THRACIA
19,000
Aenus
(Enez)
14,000
Philippopolis
(Plovdiv)
12,000
Byzantium
(Istanbul)
10,000
Perinthus
(Marmara Ereğlisi)
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22 Comments
+5
Level 67
Jan 25, 2022
Amazing!
+1
Level 56
Jan 25, 2022
Thanks!
+2
Level 79
Jan 24, 2023
I only got any from reading Acts...
+3
Level 81
Jan 24, 2023
A hundred cities and they never dip below 24k... in 117 AD... geez.
+6
Level 56
Jan 24, 2023
That's the Roman era for you. With the Germanic invasions in Europe later on, the continent would be absolutely devastated with most cities dipping way below the figures here and would not recover for centuries on end.
+2
Level 73
Jan 24, 2023
I am a bit surprised that Jerusalem didn't make it. Also, without a map, I would guess that some Geek and Pheonician colonies would be here (eg. Massilia/Marseille, Malaca/Malaga). And finally, it turns out that Lutetia/Paris was not as crowdy as according to Asterix :D
+7
Level 56
Jan 24, 2023
Jerusalem was in ruins at Roman peak territorial expansion. The city was destroyed in 70 AD after quelling a Jewish rebellion and wouldn't be restored until 130 AD.

Surprisingly those colonies were pretty sparsely populated in comparison to other cities. Massilia sitting at around 15k while Malaca was relatively small at 3k.

Lutetia was never actually that major under the Romans and would sit at approximately 8k inhabitants.

+2
Level 63
Mar 14, 2023
I also guessed Lutetia based off of Asterix, lol
+2
Level 88
Sep 17, 2023
Aw man, I've been to Ephesus and forgot about it. Amazing place.

(I've also been to Argos, but mostly just for cheap toasters and stuff.)

+1
Level 56
Sep 17, 2023
I went to Paphos in Cyprus not too long ago, which is not on this list, but was still a relative large city which was estimate to have hosted about 20,000 people at its peak.

Very impressive ruins, including lots of mosaics, houses, a theatre and even part of the old town walls.

+1
Level 69
Sep 17, 2023
Can we have Evreux accepted or Le-Vieil-Evreux?
+1
Level 79
Apr 29, 2024
Great quiz. Could you accept Nicea?
+1
Level 56
Apr 29, 2024
Thanks! This should work now.
+2
Level 79
May 9, 2024
WOW! What a quiz!
+1
Level 56
May 9, 2024
Thanks!
+1
Level 63
May 11, 2024
I love how the cities trace the Nile.
+1
Level 48
Aug 5, 2025
Holy, that's amazing

Nommed ofc

+1
Level 51
Nov 6, 2025
There's no way not a single city from Iberia made it
+1
Level 56
Nov 6, 2025
Iberia missed having any cities by a decent margin. Per the dataset, Córdoba and Tarragona were roughly the same size and the largest in the peninsula, with both at 17,000 inhabitants.
+1
Level 71
Feb 4, 2026
So Byzantium barely even figures here, fascinating. I'm shocked that London was so much more populated than it at this time in fact. I do wonder at what point it became prominent enough that Constantine decided it was worth making a capital as opposed to choosing one of the other many major cities of the Eastern Roman Empire.
+1
Level 56
Feb 4, 2026
Byzantium would actually expand under the reign of Septimus Severus following a devastating siege during a civil war near the very end of the 2nd century, eventually bringing its population closer to about 30,000. Its strategic location likely played a role in it being chosen as the new capital.
+1
Level 65
Apr 7, 2026
This quiz is awesome! I have some Roman quizzes too if you're interested!